Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United thought they had settled one of the biggest questions surrounding the squad when the summer transfer window closed.
A player who had been heavily linked with a move away remained at St James’ Park, and new head coach Matthias Jaissle made it clear that he still had a role to play.
But barely weeks later, the situation has taken another dramatic turn.
A European club that failed to land the Newcastle star during the summer has now publicly revealed that it intends to return for him in January — and the confidence behind the claim has caught attention across the Newcastle fanbase.
The story is even more interesting because this was not simply a case of a club making a casual enquiry.
According to the president of the interested club, they went to extraordinary lengths during the summer to convince the player to make the move.
His family was reportedly brought to Istanbul, they even looked at a house, and there were multiple video calls involving the club’s manager and football officials. The president also said representatives met with the player personally on two occasions.
Yet despite all of that, the transfer never happened.
Jaissle played a major role in keeping the midfielder at Newcastle.
With Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali both leaving during the summer, Newcastle needed experience in the middle of the pitch, and the new head coach reportedly viewed the player as an important part of his plans.
And so far, that decision has looked justified.
The midfielder has made an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign, scoring three times across competitions and becoming a more prominent figure under Jaissle. He has also spoken positively about feeling valued in his new role.
But now comes the problem.
His current Newcastle contract runs until the end of the season.
That means January could become a crucial point in the entire situation, because overseas clubs can negotiate a pre-contract agreement with him if Newcastle do not secure fresh terms.
And the interested club’s president has made his intentions remarkably clear.
He says they will try again.
In fact, he went as far as saying that the player was the one their manager wanted most during the summer and that they intend to sign him when the January window opens.
That puts Newcastle in a fascinating position.
Do they open serious discussions over a new contract and try to keep a player who has suddenly become important to Jaissle?
Or could Newcastle eventually decide that January is the right moment to cash in rather than risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires?
For now, there is no confirmed January transfer agreement, and the Beşiktaş president’s comments do not mean a deal has been completed. But his public declaration has made one thing very clear: the pursuit is not over.
And the player at the centre of it all?
Joe Willock.
After surviving the summer transfer window and rebuilding his importance under Jaissle, his Newcastle future has suddenly become one of the stories to watch heading into January.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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